Kustra: What We’ve Won in Afghanistan

ASP’s Adjunct Fellow Mark Kustra wrote an oped in this morning Wall Street Journal regarding the discussions in Kabul on the US-Afghan security agreement and key other issues to take forward.

Mark wrote:

On Wednesday, the United States and Afghanistan concluded successful talks that will allow some U.S. troops to remain in the country beyond the originally scheduled withdrawal deadline of December 2015. An assembly representing the Afghan people must approve the deal, and other hurdles could arise. But on balance the news is good.

He noted:

It is in the security interests of the U.S. and its partners to encourage such promising developments. Steps like the Bilateral Security Agreement will help Afghanistan become a stable partner in a region with two antagonistic nuclear powers, Pakistan and India. Afghanistan should never again be allowed to become a sanctuary for al Qaeda or its progeny.